Combined doorknob alarm and push-button signal



Nov. 10, 1942. s. E. TYMlNsKl COMBINED DOORKNOB ALARM AND PUSH-BUTTON SIGNAL Filed Dec. 18, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 1G, 1942. s, E, TYMINSKI 2,301,720

COMBINED DOORKNOB ALARM AND PUSH-BUTTON SIGNAL Filed Dec. l18), 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Nov. 10, 1942 UNITED STATES COlWBINED DOORKNOB ALARM AND PUSH-BUTTON SIGNAL 'Stanley E. Tyminski, Bridgeport, Conn. Application December 18, 1941, Serial No. 423,527

5 Claims.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in combined doorknob alarm and push-button signal and has for an object to provide a device which is electrically f operated, whereby on the least turning movement of the knob in either direction an electric circuit of the alarm will be closed before the latch is withdrawn from its keeper.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combined doorknob alarm, so that on the least movement of the knob in either direction, the electric circuit will be closed to ring a bell situated somewhere within the dwelling, and thereafter the knob may be returned to its normal position to thus break the electric contact and stop the signalling.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a combined doorknob and alarm that is so fitted that after the knob is partially rotated it will automatically return to its normal position when the hand is taken from the knob.

Still another object of my invention is to provide a combined knob and alarm wherein a pushbutton for the bell is also located in the knob, thus making it unnecessary to have the pushbutton for the doorbell located to one side of the door, as is the usual practice.

Still'another object of the invention is to provide a combined alarm, doorknob and push-button, wherein all the parts are contained in the knob, that is, the various electrical contacts which are in turn wired to a bell and source of electric energy located within the dwelling.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an electric alarm located in a hollow knob having relatively few parts, compact and efcient in service.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain new and novel arrangements and combination of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims.

Referring now to the drawings showing a preferred embodiment and one modified form:

Figure 1 is a side elevation showing a fragmentary portion of the door with the wires leading back from the doorknob Figure 2 is a sectional View taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 4;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3;

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on ,4

line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

PATENT OFFICE Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line S-B of Fig. 5;

Figure 7 is a view similar to Fig. 4, but showing a Slight modification;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary view showing means for returning the knob to its normal position; and

Figure 9 is the diagrammatical wiring View of the alarm.

Referring now more specifically to the several views, there may be seen in Figure l a fragmentary portion of a door I with the new and improved knob 2, while the lead wires 3 are shown as extending back to the casing 4, where they will be connected to a battery, or a small step-down transformer which, in turn, receives its energy from the electric lighting circuit. Of course, there will be a bell or buzzer alarm, and this is illustrated in the diagram (Fig. 9) as at 20 5.

It will also be understood that where the wires extend from the door to the casing, there may be binding posts 6, which are so insulated that the two wires carrying the electric circuit will be insulated from each other, and the circuit will not be broken by an opening of the door.

Referring now more particularly to the knob 2, there may be seen the body or shell 1, together with the cap 8, whose flange 9 rotatably fits over the rim I0 of the shell 1.

In Figure 3, there may be seen a cut-out p0rtion II formed in the rim I0 of the body, and likewise there may be seen a second cut-out portion I2, the purpose of which will be shortly mentioned.

As may be seen in Figures 4 and 6, there is fitted into the bottom of the body or shell 1 a collar I3 that has the two nibs I4 which frictionally engage a reenforcement l5, so that when this body or shell is turned, likewise the collar will turn. The collar is provided with a rectangular bore therethrough, as may be seen at I6, while fitted in this bore and extending up into the body or shell 1 is the shaft I1,

This shaft I1 is also bored, as at I8, and is internally threaded at its proximal end, as at I9.

Extending within the shaft is the threaded bolt 20, which also has a passageway 2I therethrough axially, and is then drilled from the side, as at 22, to register with said bore 2 I.

Also at the proximal end of this bolt 20, there is provided a T-head 23.

The body 1 of the knob, that is the shell,`

which is secured to the shaft I 1, also carries a spring contact arm 24, which is insulated from the body shell. This spring arm, in turn, is to make contact with arms or contact points that are carried in the cap 8, as will be shortly mentioned.

Having thus described the shell or body of the knob, reference will now be made to the cap 8, which carries the greater part of the mechanism of the device.

Referring for the moment to Figures 4 and 5, there will be noticed a bracket 21 that is soldered or otherwise secured to the undersurface of the cap 3. This bracket is slotted, as may be also seen in Figure Ll, as at 28, and it is in the slot that the T-head 23 of the bolt 29 is fitted. Thus when the collar is held by a set screw 29, see Figure 2, to the shaft I'I, and the bolt 28 threaded within the shaft I'I and the T-head of the bolt in the slot 28, it will not be possible to remove (pull) the cap 8 from the body of the knob.

On the inner rim or ilange 3 of the cap 8, there is a pin 38, which extends within the cutout portion II heretofore mentioned.

Also, there is a bolt 3I secured to the flange 9 of the cap 3, which in turn supports the circular insulating member 32. This bolt registers or fits within the cut-out portion I2 heretofore mentioned in the flange Sl. Thus it will be seen that the cap or operative part of the knob may be turned only a short direction either to the left or right, before engaging the pin and bolt with the ends of their slots Where it will turn the body of the knob, and of course the shaft carried by the body, as heretofore mentioned.

It is the partial turning of this cap on the body of the knob that operates the electric alarm as will be shortly mentioned.

Referring now to Figure 4, there will be seen mounted on the bracket 21 an insulating shelf 33 held in place by the two small bolts 34.

Near the outer opposite ends of the shelf are the two binding posts 35 and 3S, While connected to the binding posts and supported thereby are the two spring arms 35a and 36a.

These two arms extend past each other, or in other werds overlap, and lare normally apart so that when the button 3l is pushed inwardly, it will cause these two arms 35a and 35a to come in contact and close a circuit as will afterwards be explained.

t will be understood that to the underneath portions of both of these binding posts 35 and 36 will be lead wires to carry the current through the said contact arms.

The lead wires will extend from these binding posts down through the drilled opening 22 in the bolt 28, through the bore I8, and then out, as at I8a, and will lead back, as shown in Figures l and 2 to a bell and, of course, to a source of electric energy. Thus it will be seen that the pushbutton for the doorbell is located right in the knob, and when the knob is installed in the door, it will not be necessary to put another pushbutton and its necessary wiring in the casing to the side of the door.

Referring again to Figure 3, it will be seen that the insulating member 32 has the two opposite electrical contact points 33 and 39 which are adapted to respectively contact with the contact arm 24 when the cap 8 is revolved slightly in either direction. The two points 38 and 39 are electrically connected, so that no matter which way the cap is turned, the current may pass from the arm 24 into either of the points 38 or 39, 75

whichever happens to be in contact with the arm 26.

In Figure 8, I have shown a fragmentary portion of the cap 8 and the body or shell 1, and I have likewise shown two small springs 40 connected to these respective parts. That is, there is a pin 50 mounted in the insulation member of the cap and two pins 5I mounted in the rim of the body to which the springs are connected, so that when the cap is turned with respect to the body in either direction, one of the springs will be put under tension and thus return the cap to its normal position as soon as the cap is released by hand.

It will also be understood from Figure 7 (modified form) that if desired I can dispense with the push-button located in the cap, and also dispense with the arms 35a and 36a, but then the push-button for the doorbell will have to be installed separately from the knob.

therwise the combined knob and alarm is exactly the same as in the preferred form.

Referring now for the moment to Figure 2, there is shown a fragmentary sectional portion of the door I, and there may be seen the latch 4I which, of course, will fit within the keeper, not shown. The latch 4I will have a rectangular opening through which the rectangular shaft I'I will t, as is the usual practice, so that when the knob (body) is turned, it will move the latch in and out of its keeper as is the standard practice.

It will be understood, however, that in my invention the cap of the knob is partially turned before the body of the knob is actuated and the shaft turned.

This does not in any Way interfere with the operation, as it will be remembered that the cap moves only a relatively small distance in either direction before it will be stopped by the pin striking the side walls of the cut-out portion heretofore mentioned, the alarm, however, having operated in the interim.

Referring now to Figure 9, which shows a diagrammatic wiring plan, there may be seen the bell 5, which it will be remembered may be 1ocated at any convenient place in the dwelling. There also may be seen the lead wire w, which is connected to one binding post 35 through the bell, and there may likewise be seen the other lead wire b which is connected to the binding post 36. Thus when the two spring arms 35a and 38a are brought in contact, when the button 31 is pushed, it will close the circuit and operate the bell.

Still referring to Figure 9, there will be seen the lead wire f extending from the binding post 35 to the Contact point 38, and there will be seen the small lead wire g that extends from the point 38 to the point 39, so that in reality both arms are connected to one of the main leads, that is the lead a through the the bell.

There will also be seen the lead h, which is connected to the binding post 36, and also to the arms 24 of the body so that when the arm 24 comes in contact with either of the points 38 or 39, the circuit is closed to thereby ring the bell. As shown, there may be a small switch y' in the main lead b, so that the alarm may be discontinued at any time.

Having thus described the mechanical features and the wiring circuits, a short description of the operation follows:

Operation When the knob 2 is grasped and the knob turned, the first thing that will turn will be the cap or shell 8 on the body 'L Whether the knob is turned, that is, the cap, to the left or to the right, one of the points 38 or 39 will come in contact with the spring arm 24 to thereby close the circuit to the bell as has just been pointed out.

On a turning of this cap as heretofore mentioned, the threaded bolt will also turn slightly within the shaft. After the cap has been partially turned the side walls, about the cut-out, contact with the pin 20, when the entire knob will be turned to operate the latch.

Thus a continued turning of the cap will therefore turn the body of the knob which carries the shaft, and this shaft when turned will operate the latch to withdraw the same from its keeper as is the ordinary practice.

To discontinue the ringing oi the bell small spring, are used shown in Figure 3, so that the moment the hand is removed from the cap the springs, or one of them, will return the cap to its normal position with relation to the body or shell.

As also mentioned, my new and improved combined knob and alarm is provided with the pushbutton and the contacts shown, so that the bell can be operated right from the knob, or, if desired, the push-button may be omitted as Well as the spring arms, but then a push-button will have to be located on the casing of the door, as is also the usual practice.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a combined doorknob alarm and pushbutton signal that is Very compact, easily installed and eiifective in service.

Many slight changes might be made without in any way departing from the spirit and scope of the invention,

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A hollow doorlrncb having a body portion and a cap mounted thereon -for partial rotation, electric alarm switch mechanism in circuit with an alaim located in said knob and closed by a turning of the cap with relation to said body portion, together with a push-button located in said knob also connected with said alarm switch mechanism whereby said alarm may be sounded either by a pushing or the button or a turning of the cap with relation to said knob.

2. In a doorknob assembly, a shaft for operating the latch, a knob, the body portion of which is secured to said shaft, a cap mounted on said body portion for partial rotation, engaging means between the body and cap for rotating the body portion and shaft after a partial rotation of the cap in either direction, electrical contact switch means in circuit with an alarm carried by the body and cap whereby a partial rotation of the cap in either direction will electrically operate said alarm, together with a push-button in said cap for manually closing a circuit to operate said alarm.

3. A combined doorknob alarm and push-button actuated electric signal including a body portion and a cap mounted on said body portion for partial rotation, switch means circuit with an alarm carried both by the cap and the body portion to complete an electric circuit and operate said alarm when said cap partially rotated with respect to said body portion, interconnecting means between the cap and the body portion where a continued rotation of the cap will thereby turn the body portion of said knob to operate a latch.

4. A hollow doorknob including a body portion, a cap portion mounted thereon for partial rotation, a switch mechanism in with an alarm carried by the cap portion and the body portion, and the switch mechanism adapted to close a circuit actuating said alarm when the cap is partially rotated on said body portion, a second switch carried in the cap portion and an electric push-button also carried in said cap portion for manually closing the circuit to thereby actuate the said alarm.

5. A doorknob assembly including a cap and body portion, a hollow shaft, a collar carried by said shaft and the body portion of a knob also secured to said collar, the capI portion provided with a bracket therein, and threaded means extending from said shaft and fitted in said bracket to prevent the cap from being removed from the body portion, the said cap mounted for partial rotation on the body portion, an electric switch mechanism in circuit with. alarm carried by the body and cap portion, whereby a partial rotation of the cap will operate said switch mechanism to operate said alarm, and an additional switch mechanism also carried in said knob, and a push-button carried by said cap for closing the last-mentioned switch.

STANLEY E. TYMINSK, 

